Johan Santana allowed one run and five hits in eight innings in a win against the Padres yesterday.

“I knew coming into this game that it was a very important one because of losing three games in a row,” Santana told reporters following the game. “We knew that somehow we had to stop that.”

According to Elias Sports Bureau, courtesy of ESPN.com, yesterday, Santana became the first pitcher in any major league game this season to get two hits and a walk, while scoring one run and driving in another.

“I was just lucky, I guess, at the plate,” Santana said. “Any time you have a chance to do something like that, it’s very special.”

…it’s pretty clear, despite all of the discussion about offense and power, the Mets top off-season priority needs to be trading for another elite starting pitcher… the team can piece together the offense, but santana is too good to waste… adding one more top arm will mean the team never hits a big-time losing streak… the two aces will create a floor, so to speak, that the team can build up from… i don’t know who that pitcher is, but he’s not on the roster right now…

Santana is tied with Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright for the most wins in the National League (13); he’s 11th in ERA (3.00); and seventh in strikeouts with 138 in 153 innings pitched.

…i wonder if the Mets will start to rest him, maybe pitching him every six days or even skipping a start… i mean, what’s the point in having johan throw 220 innings this season, when he can get rest that might save him down the road, next season and beyond…